Fred worked for my father, he had lead a pretty full life but he had got very badly burnt up along the way.
He was only a lowly airman driving an avgas bowser in Sicily on a forward base (at this stage the aircraft were still overnighting in Malta). He said they used to drive between the fuel dump and aircraft as fast as possible to achieve quick turn rounds. They started to borrow more and more grass cutting across the intersection of the perimeter track and the runways. Unfortunately Fred cut the corner too much and went across a landmine. More fortunately he ended up in East Grinstead though not expected to live. He said McIndoe spared his boys nothing, it wasn't just beer he had champagne, oysters even caviar. He praised McIndoe's attention to detail, Fred's ear was better than Nicky Lauda's though he kept his hair longish but partially because he said his scalp was too sore to go to the barbers. As an example of the fine detail he would show off the backs of his fingers where McIndoe had grafted skin off his leg so that hairs grew there.
Danny you must be very proud of Mary having had a noble career, we have not heard much about her between 'pram and becoming your computer guru!